|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
bike locater cell phone
|
Ads |
#13
|
|||
|
|||
bike locater cell phone
wrote:
Phil W Lee phil(at)lee-family(dot)me(dot)uk wrote: Mike considered Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:14:57 +0000 the perfect time to write: On Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:11:19 +0000 (UTC), wrote: Some late-model, high-end cars now come with a GPS unit. Many of them can be spotted by the minature "shark fin" antennas on the roof near the back window. The feature can be used to locate the car if it's stolen, or by repo people trying to get a car back from a delinquent customer. So I think the technology exists that could do the same for bicycles. The only questions, could it be concealed so that the thief wouldn't be aware of it, and would it be cost-effective? Unfortunately, I'm kind of leaning toward "no" in answer to both questions, at least for now. They are doing something similar in the UK in high crime areas. Bait cars and bait houses are being seeded with high value items like laptops. They are fitted with GPS tracking which signals its exact position back to base every few seconds (using mobile phone data channels) The police can track the items movement from the point at which it is stolen to the point at which it is fenced. If the item will fit in a laptop which are notorious for their very high packaging density then they should be suitable for bikes, but I expect the price of them to be somewhat astronomical. Using off the shelf equipment a typical basic hardware cost of commercial grade "full size" hardware for both functions is around £40 in the UK ($60) - getting the hardware down to a size suitable for bike mounting could easily double that. The off the shelf equipment (gps rec, gprs transceiver, aerial, battery) will fit in a 1.5" - 1.75" cube. Easy enough to disguise it as a cycle computer then. Little question that such a thing can be done from a technical standpoint. The next step would be to make it economically feasible. There are dinguses available that you can carry in your shirt pocket, that will send a distress call and GPS coordinates to a central location. Just the thing if you're going out to sea, or into the Brooks Range, or something, all alone. Trouble is, they're still up there a bit. I think I've seen them priced at $200-400. So now some intrepid entrepreneur needs to market one for bikes. And/or, some zealous police department needs to start planting "bait" bikes with such locators in high-theft areas like college campuses. The next question would be how long it would take the thieves to catch on and start disabling the gadgets... A couple of blasting caps and a trip wire could discourage disassembly once word got around. Sorry, that would be illegal. -- Tom Sherman - 42.435731,-83.985007 LOCAL CACTUS EATS CYCLIST - datakoll |
#14
|
|||
|
|||
bike locater cell phone
On Jan 17, 2:07*pm, wrote:
Phil W Lee phil(at)lee-family(dot)me(dot)uk wrote: Mike considered Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:14:57 +0000 the perfect time to write: On Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:11:19 +0000 (UTC), wrote: * Some late-model, high-end cars now come with a GPS unit. *Many of them can be spotted by the minature "shark fin" antennas on the roof near the back window. *The feature can be used to locate the car if it's stolen, or by repo people trying to get a car back from a delinquent customer. * So I think the technology exists that could do the same for bicycles. * The only questions, could it be concealed so that the thief wouldn't be aware of it, and would it be cost-effective? *Unfortunately, I'm kind of leaning toward "no" in answer to both questions, at least for now. They are doing something similar in the UK in high crime areas. *Bait cars and bait houses are being seeded with high value items like laptops. They are fitted with GPS tracking which signals its exact position back to base every few seconds (using mobile phone data channels) *The police can track the items movement from the point at which it is stolen to the point at which it is fenced. If the item will fit in a laptop which are notorious for their very high packaging density then they should be suitable for bikes, but I expect the price of them to be somewhat astronomical. Using off the shelf equipment a typical basic hardware cost of commercial grade "full size" hardware for both functions is around £40 in the UK ($60) - getting the hardware down to a size suitable for bike mounting could easily double that. *The off the shelf equipment (gps rec, gprs transceiver, aerial, battery) will fit in a 1.5" - 1.75" cube. Easy enough to disguise it as a cycle computer then. * *Little question that such a thing can be done from a technical standpoint. *The next step would be to make it economically feasible. * There are dinguses available that you can carry in your shirt pocket, that will send a distress call and GPS coordinates to a central location. *Just the thing if you're going out to sea, or into the Brooks Range, or something, all alone. *Trouble is, they're still up there a bit. *I think I've seen them priced at $200-400. * *So now some intrepid entrepreneur needs to market one for bikes. * And/or, some zealous police department needs to start planting "bait" bikes with such locators in high-theft areas like college campuses. * *The next question would be how long it would take the thieves to catch on and start disabling the gadgets... Bill * *__o * | Loyalty to petrified opinions never yet broke a chain *_`\(,_ *| or freed a human soul in this world--and never will. (_)/ (_) | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *--Mark Twain- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - a zelous pd ? really ? where in the world will you find one ? just one.... |
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
FA: Bike attachable Neoprene Cell Phone Case | Stevie | Marketplace | 0 | July 6th 07 12:45 PM |
FA: Neoprene Cell Phone Pouch - Bike Attachment | Stevie | Marketplace | 0 | June 20th 07 12:13 AM |
Cell phone can find the nearest bike shop. | Mike Kruger | General | 1 | June 3rd 07 12:27 AM |
Cell phone can find the nearest bike shop. | Mike Kruger | Rides | 1 | June 3rd 07 12:27 AM |